Off the Market: A Case Study in Commercially Traded Antiquities, Object-Based Research, and Ethical Considerations for Small Collections
Abby Cottier
Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice
About this Item
- Title
- Off the Market: A Case Study in Commercially Traded Antiquities, Object-Based Research, and Ethical Considerations for Small Collections
- Contributor Names
-
Cottier, Abby (Author)
-
Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York. Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice (Degree granting institution)
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Elia, Ariele (Thesis advisor)
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Trupin, Deborah (Thesis advisor)
- Date
- 2026
- Degree Information
- M.A. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York 2026
- Department: Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice
- Advisors: Ariele Elia; Deborah Trupin
- Committee members: Hilary Davidson; Brooke Carlson
- Abstract
- Many objects enter museums through the commercial antiquities market, whether that is via museum purchase or by donation from a dealer or collector. Often, these come without secure, well-documented provenance. As many–though not all–of these unprovenanced antiquities on the market were likely looted from archaeological sites, caring for them poses certain ethical challenges for collections.This paper explores these challenges and the steps that collections can take to ethically deal with these artifacts, beginning with provenance research, technical and contextual research, and identification. Armed with research, collections can reach out to countries or communities of origin to pursue further action, including repatriation. The paper uses a case study of a group of Ancient Andean textiles in the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)'s Graduate Study Collection, shining a spotlight on the struggles of small collections that are often left out of repatriation and ethical stewardship conversations.
- Subject
- Museum studies
- Hispanic Americans
- Textile research
- Archaeology
- Andes
- Museum exhibits
- Repatriation
- Keyword
- Museum studies
- Hispanic American studies
- Textile research
- Archaeology
- Ancient Andean textiles
- Archaeological textiles
- Artifact provenance
- Museum ethics
- Repatriation
- University study collection
- Rights
- In Copyright
- The copyright for this work is held by its author/creator(s). Usage of this material beyond what is permitted by copyright law must first be cleared with the rights-holder(s). This work has been made available online by the Fashion Institute of Technology Gladys Marcus Library strictly for research and educational purposes. If you are the copyright holder for this work and have any objections to this work being made available online, please notify us immediately at [email protected].
- This item must not be sold to any third party vendors.
- Identifier
- FIT Repository ID: etd_001066
- URN: ISBN:9798252432236
- Related Materials
- Also available from ProQuest
- Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 87-12
- Masters Abstracts International
- Language
- English
- Publisher
- Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
Citation
Cottier, A. (2026). Off the Market: A Case Study in Commercially Traded Antiquities, Object-Based Research, and Ethical Considerations for Small Collections [Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York]. FIT Institutional Repository. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/676684
Cottier, Abby. Off the Market: A Case Study in Commercially Traded Antiquities, Object-Based Research, and Ethical Considerations for Small Collections. 2026. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, Master's thesis. FIT Institutional Repository, https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/676684
Cottier, Abby. "Off the Market: A Case Study in Commercially Traded Antiquities, Object-Based Research, and Ethical Considerations for Small Collections." Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, 2026. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/676684